


The Foolish Season

by LadyBee



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Day 7, F/M, Jon being a cinnamon roll, Jonrya Week, Jonrya Week 2020, Seasons, Spring, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-31
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:33:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22486402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyBee/pseuds/LadyBee
Summary: “I’ve always thought spring to be a bit messy and chaotic. What do you think?”“I never gave it much thought before, but now...I’m inclined to think this is the time for fools and lunatics.” Jon confessed.
Relationships: Jon Snow & Arya Stark, Jon Snow/Arya Stark
Comments: 9
Kudos: 70
Collections: Jonrya Week, Jonrya Week: January 2020





	The Foolish Season

**Author's Note:**

> I suggest "Winter Song", by Sara Bareilles, and "Honeybee" by The Head and The Heart to get you in the right mood for this one.

The first days of spring brought to the North a level optimism that Jon had never witnessed before. Winterfell was suddenly alive, with workers repairing the castle and the walls. There was also some sort of epidemic going on, but not one he considered to be particularly dangerous. With the end of the war and winter finally fading,  those who had survived to tell the tale were all desperate to live a full life. Jon concluded that it was only natural for love to bloom as soon as the snow melted away, but the number of blushing lasses and gallant lads flirting all around was becoming somewhat annoying.

Marriages were being performed collectively  among commoners since food was still at short supply until the first harvest but wedding feasts were an important tradition  to be observed . Jon lost count of how many weddings he had to attend and how many matches he had to approve or not among nob les as well . Arya would often laugh at his annoyance every time he ran his hand over his hair in a clear sign of distress. At least he could keep her amused and that was a far more noble task than being reduced to a royal matchmaker.

At least  spring brought with it Jon’s laugh. Although discreet, it became more frequent, making his spirit lighter and life bearable. If he was to be honest, Jon couldn’t tell if it was really the Spring or just Arya’s presence what lightened up that little flame inside of him. Since he was brought back from the world of the dead, it was the first time Jon actually felt alive and hopeful about the future.

Those high spirits kept him motivated and active while supervising all the repairs being made and even made it tolerable for him to hold court. It also made Jon feel young again and, therefore, inclined to do the most foolish things for no  apparent  good reason.

Sam questioned the tremendous expenses of Jon’s rampant of frivolity. The Myrish Glass was tremendously expensive and the purpose of it was still not good enough for Sam to approve. Jon was usually very pragmatic about money and would keep the finances in a tight grip as m uch as he could, but at least that small extravagant gesture was something he would indulge.

The glass wasn’t even the tricky part. The real challenge was to find all the samples of flowers and a gardener competent enough to make them grow even in the North. He had written to both Lord Tyrell and the Archmaester at the Citadel asking for an indication.  Willas had been kind enough to send him the right man for the job.

Jon had expected for someone young and dynamic, but to his surprise he received old Martin. The man had a snow white beard and enjoyed as good meal as much as Sam. They actually had much in common and would expend hours chatting while Martin explained in details how to take proper care of southern flowers. Jon found it all very confusing and even chaotic every time he checked on the old man’s work, but he could only hope Martin would deliver what was promised.

It took a month to build a new glass garden and another six months to have most of the flowers in it to bloom. When it was over, Jon finally understood why the man came so highly recommended. That place looked like something out of a song.

Arya had been asking him about the new glass garden and what sort of vegetables would be cultivated there. Jon had led her to believe it would be another precaution to future winter to expand their supplies of vegetables, but that place had a different purpose. Jon made it sound as boring as it could possibly be, without letting her get anywhere near the place until Martin’s work was done.

“I want to show you something.” Jon declared one morning as they broke the fast together at the Great Hall.

“Is it the new stables? I already saw it and I think it’s decent, although you might consider it small to accommodate all the horses Willas promised you.” Arya replied vaguely before giving a bite to the fried bread in her hand.

“It’s not about the stables. It’s something else that I need your opinion on.” He said before finishing his ale. “Come on! This is somewhat urgent.” He tried to hurry her, but Arya remained in her seat, chewing her food as if nothing could make her do something she wasn’t willing to.

“I will once I’m done with my food. Whatever it is it can wait.” She replied lazily just to provoke him.

Jon rolled his eyes in answer and waited for Arya to finish her meal. Once she was satisfied, Jon took her by the hand all the way to the glass garden. He didn’t let her see the result of months of work just yet. Jon covered her eyes with his hands and carefully conducted Arya inside the place.

“Do not look yet.” Jon said teasingly.

“What is this all about? Have you managed to grow a pumpkin as big as a giant’s head or something like this?” Arya asked annoyed by the fact that she couldn’t see what was going on. Jon led her to the very center of the garden, where the most exuberant flowers had bloomed. He removed his hands from Arya’s eyes and waited for her reaction.

“You can look now.” It was impossible for him to keep his boyish anxiety under control at that point. Jon wanted her to see that place and love every bit of it.

There was a solemn silence for a moment as Arya looked around her, mesmerized by everything inside the glass house.  She covered her mouth with her left hand in a sign of surprise, disbelief and wonderment. For a moment – a brief and wonderful moment – he saw the little girl he used to tease inside Arya’s eyes. The war and the winter were nothing but distant memories and they had traveled back to a time in which everything was as simple as flowers in bloom during Spring.

“This is...” Arya was speechless and her eyes were teary. “It’s wonderful!”

“Did you like it?” He asked gently and her smile dazzled him.

“I love everything about this place.” Arya said in awe. “Now I understand why Tarly was so mad about the gold you spent on it. I thought you planned to grow vegetables, not all this beauty.”

“Forget about Tarly and the numbers. I wanted this to be ready in time for your name-day.” Jon said as he reached for her hands. “I wanted this place to be a gift to you. I had Martin planting all the different flowers you found on your way to King’s Landing.”

“I think I love this even more than I love Needle.” Arya confessed as she smiled and looked around marveled by the exuberant flora. “I never had something as beautiful as this. This was a very thoughtful gift.”

“I’m glad that you liked it.” Jon lowered his head a bit as he tried to summon all of his courage to approach a more delicate matter. “I guess Spring is making all of us a bit foolish and hopeful. There’s something I want to discuss with you for a while now, but it never seemed to be the right time. I keep receiving marriage proposals to you and I’m getting out of excuses. I know...I know we both have issues naming what we have but at this point is useless to pretend that it’s of no consequence. So far we have been discreet about it, but I don’t want it to become a scandal.”

“Do you want it to be over?” Arya asked in a sober and fearful tone. Jon cupped her face with his right hand.

“I want it to last forever.” He whispered to her. “I appreciate that you avoid mentioning my parentage because you feel it might hurt me somehow, but this also means that we avoid talking about how it changes everything for us. I’m done hiding and I won’t have anyone calling you names and insulting your honor should our connection become public. All of Westeros knows I’m Rhaegar’s son and it should be enough to spare us of a great deal of judgment.You brought me back to life and you make my days worth living. I want Spring to be a rebirth, not only to this castle and the North but to us as well.”

Jon took her into a gentle embrace. He wished a crown could give him enough power to stop time at that very moment so they could remain like that forever. Arya hugged him back and laid her head against his shoulder.

“Why don’t you go straight to the point instead of enumerating all the reasons you have to make this decision?” She teased him a bit. “I’m not a child, Jon. I doubt there’s anything you can say to me that will scare me away.”

“I want to marry you in this garden. I want us to grow old together.” He finally said it. “I know you don’t like the tittles or the obligations they impose, but I beg you to look beyond these things. Would you have me, Arya? Would you take my hand?”

“I thought you hated the spring’s wedding season.” Arya muffled a laugh. “I heard you complain about it enough.”

“Just because I see everyone around trying to find happiness and live a full life, while my current position makes me feel excluded of such pleasures.” He grinned foolishly. “I envy them and all this freedom to show to the world they are in love with someone and being unapologetic about it.For me winter started when I went to the Wall and away from you. I found you again and even during those merciless days of snow, I could feel the promise of Spring. You gave me hope when I had none.”

“This will be a messy affair.” Arya muffled a laugh. “Can you imagine everyone’s face when you decide to tell the kingdom that you are taking your little sister for your bride?”

“Sansa’s face will surely be priceless, I bet.” Jon laughed with a light heart. “You’ll enjoy the chaos, won’t you?”

“Maybe more than I enjoy this garden, if I’m to be honest.” Arya got on the tip of her toes and kissed his lips playfully. “I’ve always thought spring to be a bit messy and chaotic. What do you think?”

“I never gave it much thought before, but now...I’m inclined to think this is the time for fools and lunatics.” Jon confessed. “What do you say? Should we be fools together?”

“We definitely should.” Her smile alone was all he needed to believe spring would always come, even during the darkest nights of winter. 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy and reviews are highly appreciated.


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